This Unplanned Life
by Strata's Stargazer
Summary: Life has a way of changing suddenly, without notice. Sasuke dies. Sakura becomes pregnant. Itachi is the father. In a strange twist of circumstances, Sakura finds herself living a life she never knew could exist. Sakura x Itachi
1. And So It Begins

**A/N:** Hello! So, I've decided to take a story I had originally posted under my other Naruto story _As The Heaven's Cried_ and let it have its own spotlight. The reason was that even though it was originally a one-shot, I kept coming up with more stories for the plot. Don't expect it to run in a continuous flow, there will months or even years between chapters, but – I'm hoping – they will all be posted in chronological order.

It is Sakura x Itachi and it will be mostly drama – this couple seems made for it in my mind - but it will become better over time.

Please make sure to read and review!

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

_And So It Begins…_

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><p>"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Sakura asked in concern, shivering in the early morning cold. She was at the front gates, along with Naruto, Lee, and Sasuke, to see the four of them off for their mission. She couldn't help but feel apprehensive on not going with her team, but Tsunade had requested she join the other members of Team Guy for her own mission.<p>

"Ah, Sakura-chan, you worry too much!" Naruto chided her with a grin as he stopped next to Sasuke to wrap his arm around the Uchiha's neck in a choke hold. Sasuke just sighed and drove his elbow in to Naruto's stomach to get him to let go before turning back to Sakura.

"We'll be fine," he reassured her and Sakura paused before nodding. All of them were Jounin and some of the top fighters in Konoha, so she knew they could take care of themselves.

"Just don't get hurt with me there not to take care of you guys, okay?" she ordered, scowling at Naruto.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan!" Lee said as he stopped next to Naruto and gave her thumbs up. "The power of Youth will be on our side!"

"And it's just an intelligence mission, nothing more," Kakashi reassured her as he finally strolled up the group, _Icha Icha_ in hand.

"You're late!" the three members of Team Seven chided, but after five years there was little behind the berating besides habit.

"Alright, alright, let's go get started!" Naruto laughed. Even if he was just about to turn eighteen and had been a Jounin for the past year, time had done little to tame his exuberant personality.

"Yes, we have a ways to go," Kakashi agreed, though he didn't lower the book as he exited the gate. "Sakura, be safe on your mission with Guy."

"Yes, taicho," Sakura called with a smile before Kakashi disappeared in to the trees, quickly followed by Lee and Naruto who were arguing about what pace they needed to set.

Left alone with Sasuke, Sakura looked up at him to see him frowning at he stared past her in to town.

"Sasuke?"she murmured as she closed the distance between them to rest her head against his chest as her hands came up to fist around his flak jacket."Please, be careful."

"I told you, we'll be fine."

"Right," Sakura said, stepping back to smile up at him. She knew the four of them would take care of each other, so she pushed aside her worry.

"Sakura," Sasuke started to say, glancing over his shoulder when they heard Naruto yelling for Sasuke to hurry up. With a sigh, he turned back to Sakura and pressed a quick kiss to her lips before stepping back with a small smirk. "See you in a week."

"Bye," Sakura waved as her boyfriend disappeared in a blur of color, leaving her alone in the early morning.

sSs

"Sakura, you seem to be in a rush," Ten Ten teased seven days later as she, Sakura, Neji, and Guy made their way through the forest protecting Konoha. Their mission had gone well, capturing their intended target with nothing more than a few scrapes and they were making it back to Konoha early.

"Sasuke and the others are back today as well," Sakura told her with a smile and Ten Ten chuckled but nodded in understanding. Clearing the marker that said they were less than a mile from home, Sakura put in a burst of chakra.

"Way to embrace the power of Youthful Love, Sakura-chan!"

Finally reaching the gate, Sakura jumped down from the trees to land before the gates. Smiling to be back home Sakura was walking in to the gate when a flash of orange caught her eye.

"Naruto!" she called in greeting, spotting her blond teammate sitting just inside the entrance, resting against a building. Wondering if he had come to greet her, Sakura jogged towards him only to slow down when he didn't respond. Taking in the fact he was slumped over with his hair hanging over his face, she couldn't help but be worried as she reached him.

"Naruto?" she asked softly, frowning.

"Sa…Sakura…I…" Naruto muttered softly. When he finally straightened, Sakura gasped when she noticed the front of his outfit was dark, soaked in blood.

"Are you wounded? What's wrong!" she asked, reaching out as she covered her hands in chakra to start healing.

"No, not me," Naruto told her softly and Sakura froze, slowly lifting her eyes to meet Naruto's to find tears running down his face.

"Who, Naruto. Who!" she yelled, aware that the rest of Team Guy had arrived and were approaching.

"Sasuke," Naruto whispered and Sakura felt her breath catch before she was running down the street towards the hospital.

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><p><strong>Ending AN:** So as some can see this is a new part of the story, expanding on the first piece. If I feel up to writing it, some parts will be fleshed out, some won't. It's the joy of writing!

Life is crazy with end of semester projects, so I'll try...possibly...to get another "new" chapter up as soon as I can, but it may before after April 11th due to a 20 page paper I haven't written yet :{

ReView!

**Disclaimer:**Naruto is. Not. Mine.


	2. An Offer Of Comfort

Naruto: This Unplanned Life

**A/N:** Sorry, life was busy and I wanted to get this chapter out. I hate school in the spring and work SUCKED this week, which just made the fact my birthday is the 8th even more miserable.

Short chapter and not even close to what I wanted it to be, but I didn't think I could do it justice if I forced myself to keep writing past where I stopped. And forewarning: I cannot predict how long chapters will be, so don't ever expect them to be the same.

Anyways, please, Read and Review. I want to hear from you guys on what you think.

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

_An Offer of Comfort_

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><p>Sitting at the bar staring down at her glass of sake, Sakura attempted to drown out the noise of those around her as she took deep breathes to calm down her anger and sadness. She should have known better than to let Ino convince her to go out tonight, but she was tired of doing nothing but going to work and crying over Sasuke. What she hadn't wanted was watching everyone flinch when Sasuke was brought up, quickly followed by the looks of pity and concern shot her way as the topic was suddenly changed. When she couldn't take it any more she had left their group of friends to go and claim a seat at the bar.<p>

Maybe too much time with Tsunade had affected her, but to fight her anger Sakura wanted nothing more than to drink the pain away. Rubbing her eyes to prevent tears from forming, Sakura finally looked up to glance around the bar. She caught the sight of Naruto and Hinata leaving the bar and she hoped the Hyūga heiress could help Naruto through his own pain, because Sakura simply couldn't help Naruto when she couldn't even help herself.

As she turned back to her glass, Sakura paused when she spotted Uchiha Itachi sitting at the bar. She hadn't seen Sasuke's brother since the funeral ceremony, which wasn't too surprising as their paths rarely crossed even with Sasuke being a large part of both of their lives. Like her he seemed to be drinking sake, his long bangs casting part of his face in the shadows though Sakura noticed he seemed pale and that there were shadows under his eyes.

After another quick glance around the bar Sakura was surprised when she didn't see Shisui or any of Itachi's ANBU team around. Itachi was almost in one or the other's presence when outside his family's compound, unlike Sasuke who was generally forced into any gathering that had more than Team Kakashi. It had been surprising, but Itachi got along rather well with Shino who had been placed under Itachi once he joined ANBU, though Sakura often wondered if it was because the two men were more comfortable in silence than in conversation.

Noticing that the two seats on either side of him were still vacant, Sakura wondered if he wanted to be alone tonight. Even from where she sat she could sense some of the tightly held emotions coming off Itachi, emotions similar to her own, making her think he was thinking of Sasuke as well.

In all the years of knowing Sasuke, Sakura had never really understood the two brother's relationship. Sasuke seemed to both respect and hate Itachi, constantly trying to surpass Itachi in strength and standing, while Sakura didn't know how Itachi felt about Sasuke. He had always been there when Sasuke needed help, despite Sasuke's ingratitude. There were also some times when the brothers seemed extremely close to one another and she had seen moments of understanding pass between the two, however short they had lasted.

Without thinking about it, Sakura rose from her chair and circled around the bar before sliding in to the seat to the right of Itachi. From the corner of her eye she saw him shift to glance at her, but Sakura didn't say anything as she gave the bartender a short smile as he paused to top off both of their glasses. She didn't know exactly why she had moved to join him and didn't feel like making conversation so she was content to stay silent, as was Itachi as he returned back to his drink without comment.

As the two sat and drank at the noisy bar, silent with their own thoughts, Sakura was surprised at how comforting it was to be next to Itachi. They both had cared deeply about Sasuke and she felt Itachi knew how she felt and in reverse, she could understand some of his feelings. And for the first time in weeks, the thought of Sasuke didn't hurt as much.

When she finally decided to call it an evening, the sake making her body lethargic and her mind calm, Sakura closed out her bill before rising from her seat. She was somewhat surprised when Itachi also rose, leaving behind his own payment before following her out of the bar. The night was cool in comparison to the crowded bar, but Sakura enjoyed it and the silence from the sleeping Konoha before glancing over in surprise when Itachi stepped up next to her as she started towards her apartment.

A little too drunk to question why he hadn't headed in the other direction back to the Uchiha compound, the two walked through the streets silently. Figuring he was just watching out for her by seeing her home, Sakura didn't think about it further until they reached the doorway to her apartment. Finally turning to face him for the first time that night, Sakura looked up to meet black eyes in the poorly lit hallway.

She wasn't sure what prompted her to do it, but when she took in the pain and exhaustion barely hidden behind Itachi's normally calm mask, she reached up to wrap her arms around him in a brief hug. He smelled like leather and whatever he used in the bath, with a faint hint of the smoke from the bar and was surprisingly warm for such a cold exterior she found as she let go after a few seconds to settle back on her feet again. As her action finally processed Sakura fought down a blush before glancing at Itachi through her hair to find him staring at her.

She was trying to figure out how to explain her actions when Itachi stepped forward, closing the short distance between them as he bent to kiss her, his right hand coming up to rest on her jaw bone. Too startled to react at first, Sakura dimly took in the feel of his lips against hers as something in her gut lurched. It wasn't attraction or arousal - how could it when she had never thought of Itachi in that way? – but some of her more turbulent emotions of the evening died down as Sakura started to return Itachi's kiss.

Feeling her back press into the doorway of her apartment, Sakura's mind finally recalled they were still out in the hallway where any of her neighbors could come across them at any time. Pulling back to break the kiss, Sakura untangled her hand from where it had buried itself in his ponytail so that she could open the door.

Turning back to face Itachi, Sakura didn't think as she held out her hand in a silent offer.

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><p><strong>Ending AN: **Review!

Next chapter is the original one that first got me started on this story, so I'm posting them at the same time. Expected the next one sometime next week.

**Disclaimer:** Never going to happen.


	3. This Unplanned Life

Naruto: This Unplanned Life

**A/N:** The true, original piece. Corrected spelling errors (I hope) but otherwise haven't changed anything despite the expansions I did with writing chapters 1 and 2.

Review! Review!

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

__This Unplanned Life_ _

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><p>Dammit, it was raining again Sakura fumed as she made her way through the streets of Konoha as quickly as she could. Even with the umbrella to help keep her dry her clothes were getting wet, causing her nose to wrinkle in irritation. To her it seemed like it had been raining every day for the past month and it was really starting to get her down, pushing her even deeper in to the funk she had been in for the last three months.<p>

_Sasuke-kun._ The name floated through her brain and Sakura jerked to a stop at the street corner. For a moment almost unbearable pain rushed through her and she sagged against the building. Thankfully it was well after midnight and she was in the residential area of Konoha so there was no one present to see her brief moment of weakness. Knowing she couldn't stand out in the rain all night, Sakura eventually straightened and continued on her way.

After only a few more blocks she reached her destination, staring up at the entrance the led into the large compound and the red and white symbol that marked the Uchiha property. As she did most nights she took a deep breath before stepping into the compound and making her way to the small single resident located not far from the entrance. In terms of location is was considered one of the worst being so close to the entrance, but for Sakura it was perfect.

The house was dark when she stepped inside and she felt too tired to turn on the lights until she reached the bedroom in the back of the building. There she threw the umbrella in the corner before stretching as she eyed the bed. There was nothing she wanted more than to go and curl up under the covers to sleep, but she had to change into dry clothes first. Heading over the small chest that held her clothes she pulled off her top to toss it over to the umbrella, not caring she wasn't being tidy, before digging around the clothes trying to find some clean clothes to sleep in.

"Sakura-san." Startled by the voice Sakura spun on the spot, her hand automatically pulling a kunai from the pouch still attached to her thigh as the other clutched a shirt to her chest. Tracing the voice that had spoken to the doorway, green eyes met black and Sakura stared in confusion before glancing away in sudden embarrassment.

"Ah, U…Itachi-san," she stuttered out, clutching the shirt even tighter to her chest as she shifted her gaze back again to the man staring at her. As she watched his gaze shifted downwards slightly and she wondered what he saw. When she had looked at herself in the mirror that morning she hadn't noticed anything different yet, but knew it wouldn't stay that way much longer. "I, uh, wasn't aware you would be back tonight…"

"The mission was completed earlier than expected," Itachi informed her and as he was still dressed in his ANBU outfit, porcelain crow mask held in one hand, she figured he had come straight here. The thought unnerved her, almost as much the unwavering stare he continued to focus on her with. Then again, everything unnerved her anymore, since the moment Sasuke was killed three months ago.

It was to be a routine mission with Naruto, Kakashi, and Rock Lee, so low key that they hadn't even felt the need for a medic. Sakura had been irritated to be left behind, but she had been given her own mission to complete with the other members of Lee's team. She had split ways with her team, fully expecting to see them healthy and safe like normal in a week. Instead she returned to find out Sasuke had been killed during an ambush by some missing-nin when the team had been split up scouting, the others reaching him too late to save him after a massive blow to his lungs.

It had been three days before her and Sasuke's two year anniversary as an official couple.

"How are you feeling?" Drawn back into the present, Sakura gazed blankly as Itachi before the words sank in.

"Oh, fine," she mumbled, slightly embarrassed at both the question and the fact she was still uncovered in front of him. Stiffening slightly as he suddenly walked across the room towards her, Sakura desperately wished she was wearing a top. It wasn't like Itachi hadn't seen it all before, she knew, but their relationship – whatever it was – was still too much of an unknown for her to be comfortable around the unreadable Uchiha.

Following Sasuke's death she had slipped into a depression, barely leaving her apartment and rarely eating. The guilt of not having gone with them, of not pushing having them take a medic regardless of the difficulty of the mission, ate at her to point she felt crippled. No one, not even Tsunade, were able to help her for the first two weeks until even Sakura got sick of herself and the constant moping and had left the apartment. She was still prone to bouts of random weeping, but working helped take her mind off losing the love of her life.

As a shinobi, she had always known that there would be risks of one day losing a friend or partner on a mission. It still hurt, but with Kakashi and Tsunade's help, Sakura had managed to continue forward. She also knew Sasuke would hate for her to use his death to become weak.

One night she had felt normal enough to let Ino convince her to go and hang out with their fellow shinobi. It would have been fine except everyone had treated her like fragile glass, careful not to bring up Sasuke around her or Naruto, who had joined them silently shortly after Sakura's arrival. She and the blond had barely spoken in the past weeks, but she knew Jiraiya and Hinata had been with the blond almost constantly.

After one too many pitying glances her way, Sakura had wondered off to sit at the bar, nursing her drink as she fought back the tears that threatened to fall into the cup. It was there she had come across Uchiha Itachi.

As a warm hand gently slid under the shirt the rest on her stomach, Sakura shivered at the touch as her face flushed red. Resolutely staring over his shoulder rather than meet his gaze – nearly unreadable like most Uchiha's - Sakura felt her stomach muscles contract briefly as she inhaled the scent that surrounded Itachi. It was a musky scent of perspiration, leather, and the smell of pine and fir from the trees that surrounded Konoha and was enough to make her weary senses flare to life.

"You're still flat." His tone was level, but after years of knowing Sasuke and Itachi, Sakura could hear the inferred question and nodded shortly.

"Y-yes…It'll be a few more months before it becomes noticeable," she told him softly even as she felt her pulse start to pound in her throat. She was almost too aware of him at such a close distance; the strand of black hair that curled around his neck, of the pulse in his throat, the slight moisture coating his skin from being out in the rain. It was an awareness that had only recently started, but she could easily trace it back to that fateful night.

It had been strange to see Itachi at the bar, but even stranger to see him utterly alone. Unlike Sasuke, Itachi was slightly more social and was almost always with someone, so it had been abnormal enough to catch Sakura's attention. Knowing how close Sasuke and Itachi had been, Sakura felt her heart go out to the elder Uchiha brother before finding herself suddenly sliding into the empty seat next to him.

They had been silent the entire time they had sat together, but it had not been uncomfortable Sakura had noted. Rather, it was a silence of shared grief over the loss of someone they had both loved deeply. And when Sakura had gotten up to go home Itachi had risen from his seat to follow her out of the bar, walking her to her apartment a few blocks away. At the entrance to her apartment Sakura had paused before looking up to meet the gaze of the elder Uchiha.

When he bent to kiss her, stepping forward to pin her against the door to her apartment, she didn't push him away. Instead she had buried her hands into his hair, noticing dimly in the back of her mind that it was softer than Sasuke's had been before most conscious thought had fled. Somehow they made it into her apartment to collapse on the bed not far from the door, shedding clothing as quick as they could.

When Itachi had entered her, his breath hot against her neck as they both paused to adjust, Sakura had felt the first tear fall. The tears had continued even after Itachi started to move and Sakura arched to meet each thrust as a frantic desperation came over the both of them to find completion. Shortly afterwards the two lay next to each other on her suddenly small bed, but not touching until Itachi had risen and dressed, leaving without a single word spoken between them all night.

Three weeks later Sakura had realized her period had never come and another two to rule out the chance that the stress from Sasuke's death had been the cause. Five weeks after sleeping with Itachi, Sakura had gathered the courage to seek him out and tell him she was pregnant.

"You must be tired," Itachi stated, dropping his hand from her stomach to take a step away. Almost instantly her skin broke out in goose bumps from the loss of heat his touch had provided and Sakura crossed her free arm over her stomach as she shifted her gaze to stare up at him.

In the month since her telling Itachi of the pregnancy, she had been moved from her small apartment to the Uchiha compound under the care of her future mother-in-law. Carrying the child of the Uchiha clan heir, and now the only son of the head family, there was little option besides her to marry Itachi. Mikoto had been rather accepting to find Sasuke's girlfriend pregnant with the other son's baby and had even offered for Sakura to move in with her and Fugaku until the ceremony in a month.

Uncomfortable with the idea, Sakura declined, rather taking the small house close to the entrance. She would continue her position as a medic as long as she could, a proposition that was originally rejected by the Uchiha elders who disliked the idea of her working after becoming a Uchiha, but with Itachi's interference on her behalf, one that was finally accepted. Still, in the few weeks it took for her to move she had only seen him in person once after the decision to move to the Uchiha compound.

It was what made his impromptu visit tonight such a surprise, but not unwelcome Sakura realized with surprise.

As he turned to leave, Sakura was gripped with the sudden desire to not be alone. Even surrounded by the numerous Uchiha, she felt disconnected from the rest of Konoha and her friends who had been shocked at the sudden changes in her life. A few had even refused to talk to her, thinking she had so easily betrayed Sasuke's memory by changing her affections to his older brother, as if Itachi was nothing more than a replacement.

"Wait!" Taking a quick step, Sakura reached out and grabbed Itachi's wrist to stop him from leaving. As he turned to glance down at her, mild surprise on his face, Sakura felt herself blush even as she refused to relinquish her hold on him. She could feel the tense muscles under her hand and she looked down at the uncovered forearm before looking up to meet Itachi's gaze. "Will you stay, Itachi? Please?"

"You only have to ask once, Sakura," Itachi told her softly as he lifted a hand to tilt her head back. As he kissed her, Sakura dropped the t-shirt to the ground to wrap the arm around his neck as the other continued to hold on tightly to his wrist.

The others had it wrong, she knew, as Itachi lifted her off the ground of carry her over to the bed. She did not see Itachi as a replacement for Sasuke, nor had she ever. They may have similar appearances and personality traits, but Sakura knew they were completely different people.

Sasuke was gone and it would still be some time until the pain of his loss went away completely. But with Itachi, she felt they could help each other get over the grief of his death and welcome the new life they had created together as a result.

And even if Itachi wasn't Sasuke, maybe one day she could love him just the same.

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><p><strong>Ending AN: **God, I'm tired. Be nice on my birthday for getting this up and review?

**Disclaimer: Not. Mine.**


	4. A wedding, some gossip, & understanding

Naruto: This Unplanned Life

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay and the fact this isn't a "new" chapter for those who read if first over at AHC. School's super busy with end of year projects I've put off for far to long, so I really don't have any time to write anything else out. This may all you get until next Thursday when I'm flying to Seattle (SAKURA-CON ho!) and have time.

Expect this to be expanded on sometime in the future as well.

Please review!

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

_A wedding, some gossip, and understanding_

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><p>When Sakura thought of her wedding as a child, it was a glorious affair. She would be dressed in a beautiful kimono, the weather a bright spring day, and her namesake in full bloom. And, of course, the last thing to make it absolutely perfect would be the man she would marry, her dream husband who she had wanted to marry since she was seven.<p>

Reality was much harsher. She woke up alone in the darkness, her small residence silent. Almost immediately her morning sickness kicked in and she had to empty what little stomach contents she had, even her healing talents unable to keep the nausea that had been plaguing her for the past two months at bay. After cleaning up she had found the winter weather overcast and a light drizzle falling from the sky. A quick glance at her bedside clock showed it was just before seven in the morning so Sakura pulled on her boots and grabbed her cloak, planning to go to her mother's house finding herself wandering through Konoha instead.

Leaving her hood up to keep her dry as the light rain continued, Sakura was walking past some of the stall just outside the Uchiha compound when she spotted a few of the clan members talking next to a vegetable stand. It was early enough the streets weren't too busy to muffle the women's conversation and Sakura paused when she heard them mentioned Itachi.

"Itachi-sama's wedding is today, is it not?"

"To that outsider," the other woman said, her disgust easily heard. "The fact she's forcing him to marry her is a disgrace to the Uchiha name."

Feeling her eyes widen in shock as the blood drained from her face at the comment, Sakura stayed still as the women continued to talk.

"Isn't she the Hokage's apprentice?"

"Her training ended a year ago and she has no other standing in the village besides that – no clan and she's still a Chūnin," the second woman dismissed before leaning closer when the seller shifted closer. Intent to hear the comment, Sakura hid her presence and moved closer, already knowing the two women weren't ninja. "I heard the child is not even Itachi-sama's!"

"No!"

"They say it's Sasuke-sama's and that Itachi-sama is only marrying her to make sure the child is raised as an Uchiha and to keep his brother's memory from shame for producing a bastard."

"Are you sure?"

"I swear! I heard it from Estuka-san, who got it from her daughter who works at the hospital!"

Thankful as the two women finally wandered away while switching topics, Sakura felt her breathe come out in short pants as she tried to tamp down her rising panic. Was that what all of the other clan members thought? That she was having Sasuke-kun's child and Itachi was marrying her out of some sort of twisted sense of obligation?

The thought made her so ill she rushed to the nearest alley as another wave of nausea arrived. When she could finally straighten, her muscles hurting from the dry heaves caused by an empty stomach, she leaned weakly against the wall as her thoughts raced through her head. Finally she pushed herself away, the need to find Itachi and talk with him before the ceremony that afternoon driving her to move.

She had just entered the Uchiha compound when someone called her name and she looked up from the ground to see Mikoto walking towards her.

"I just swung by the house to see if you were up," Mikoto told her with a soft smile as she met up with Sakura before wrinkling her forehead as she looked at Sakura in concern. "Are you okay, Sakura-chan? You're very pale. Have you eaten?"

"No, I … "

"I'll make you something to settle your stomach," Mikoto said when Sakura trailed off, wrapping her arm around Sakura's shoulder to direct her back to the main house. "I remember when I carried Itachi all I could keep down was gruel. Sasuke was much – "

"Mikoto-san," Sakura interrupted, pausing in the middle of the street. She had to know if Mikoto believed the rumors as well, if that was why she had always been so understanding since Itachi had announced their marriage and the cause of it.

Eyes the exact shape and color of Sasuke's stared at her as Mikoto blinked at her, giving her the push to ask: "Do you think the baby is Sasuke-kun's?"

"Sakura-chan! What…?"

"Please tell me the truth," Sakura asked softly, the last word catching in her throat as she continued to stare at Mikoto. The older woman fell silent, pressing her lips together, but Sakura could see the answer in her eyes. "I need to find Itachi."

"Wait, Sakura-chan!" Mikoto yelled but Sakura had already started running down the street, searching the area for Itachi's chakra. She found it in the guest wing of his parent's house and as she approached she sent out a flare of her own chakra to get his attention. She had just reached the entrance when the door slid open and she stared up at the short steps to meet Itachi's curious gaze. After a week of being alone it was good to see him standing in his usual outfit, but Sakura pushed away any feeling of attachment to stay focused.

"Sakura."

"We need to talk," she panted, fisting her hands at her side. Sensing the urgency in her voice Itachi nodded, letting her come in before taking her to one of the empty rooms. Stepping away from him, Sakura couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are you cold?"

"No," she lied, simply ignoring the coldness seeping in from her wet cloak.

"What is wrong, Sakura?" he finally after she remained silent for several minutes. Finally looking at him, Sakura took a deep breath to prepare herself. If he believed the child was Sasuke's, she was canceling the wedding, no matter if the thought made her want to cry. Still, she would not marry Itachi under false knowledge or because he felt some obligation to her and Sasuke.

"I overheard some of your clan members this morning," she told him soft. "They're saying the baby is Sasuke-kun's."

"What they say does not matter," Itachi dismissed and Sakura blinked before frowning.

"Why? Your own mother seems to think it's his! Why would you think any differently?" she asked.

"It does not – "

"Please tell me truth," she begged, feeling tears prick the corner of her eyes as she stared at him. He had been kind and thoughtful since the whole mess had started, but she had learned more about him since he had started staying with her. She knew some of his likes and dislikes, his moods, everything that made him Itachi and not just Sasuke's older brother. Losing him would be painful, but she couldn't live in a lie and she wouldn't raise a child in one.

"Tell me the truth, because if you think it's his I won't…I _can't_ marry you."

Watching as he stared back at her, his face a blank mask, Sakura found herself taking a step back when he approached her. Her back hit a wall and before she could shift he used his arms to pin her in place. Swallowing nervously, Sakura made herself look up just as Itachi bent his head to kiss her.

Despite everything her body instantly reacted to him, her mouth falling open to let him in even as she leaned further into the kiss. Her hands fisted where they hung at her side before reaching up so that one rested on his neck as the other rested on his chest. When he finally pulled back she let them fall limply back to her side as she stared up at him as she panted in an attempted to catch her breath and her scattered thoughts.

"I know the child is mine," Itachi finally spoke and Sakura snapped her eyes to him. "I knew the first time you told me. I have never doubted it."

"Why?"

"If it had been my brother's, you would have said so," Itachi dismissed so easily Sakura blinked in shock. "You do not play games and are honest. I had no reason to believe you may be lying."

"But everyone else – "

"Their opinions do no matter, not even my parent's or the elders. The only person who matters is you," Itachi told her softly and Sakura blushed when he reached up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "If you had refused – at any time – I would have let you. You are the one who has been affected the most by the current events."

"So if I said no?" she asked softly and watched as Itachi's mask slid back in to place as he straightened, the little warmth she had seen gone in an instant. That – if anything – showed Itachi cared at least a little and settled what little doubts she had left. Before he could move away, Sakura reached out to wrap her arms around him to bury her face in his chest, hoping he didn't mind her cloak was getting him wet. "Thank you, Itachi, for trusting me."

Pulling back, Sakura rose on her toes to press a quick kiss to his lips.

"Let me go find your mother. I need to get ready if we're getting married this afternoon," she told him, smiling when surprise flashed through his eyes before one of his rare smiles formed on his lips as he nodded.

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><p><strong>Ending AN:** Well I hope that makes one of you happy (qawashere). Again, review please!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, nor do I want to own Naruto. (Now Kiba, Neji, Kankuro, and Itachi... I want to own them. Just my own little personal harem...)


	5. Attack

Naruto: As the Heaven's Cried

**A/N:** Really, guys? I have to say it? If you're at least going to follow a story, be kind enough to leave reviews for us poor starving authors. Remember, we live on your love!

I will try to get a new chapter out for_ As the Heaven's Cried_ sometime this weekend as well, but I will be at Sakura-Con (Hells Yeah!) so it all depends on what I get done while flying.

Review. Review. REVIEW!

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

_Attack_

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><p>Curled up in bed, Sakura found herself snapping wide awake as every intuition she had developed as a ninja suddenly started screaming that something was wrong. Keeping her eyes shut and her breathing deep and regular to pretend she was still sleeping, she slowly slid her hand under her pillow to the gap between the mattress and headrest where she had stashed a kit of kunai and shuriken after moving in to the Uchiha house. With the comforting weight of the metal blades in her palm, she sent out a small pulse of chakra along the lines that worked to surround the bedroom and would let her know if anyone else besides her was in the darkened room.<p>

The moment she brushed over a hidden chakra tucked in the corner of the ceiling, Sakura burst from the bed an instant before a figure in black dropped on to it, the sound of the kunai they held ripping through the bedding where she had just been deafening in the silent room. Landing near the bedroom door, Sakura threw out the kunai she held at the figure on the bed, only to have them pass through the clone and in-bed themselves in the wall. The minute she had seen it was a clone, Sakura was already moving, using another kunai to block the ones thrown at her, knocking them to the ground.

Aware of the noise coming from outside the bedroom a second before the door was thrown open, Sakura was prepared when two more night-clad ninjas came into the room. Moving swiftly – and thankful that at five months she was barely showing – Sakura kicked out at the closest assailant, knocking them to the ground as her foot connected with their stomach. Reaching out, she grabbed the fallen masked figure's neck and with a burst of chakra felt it snap under her strength before the body went limp.

Without pausing to think of the man now lying dead in her bedroom Sakura spun, catching the other one with her chakra enhanced fist and sending them crashing back into the bed, causing it to collapse under the force of the collision. The original attacker had disappeared during the brief skirmish, most likely to regroup after Sakura had easily incapacitated two in less than a minute. Knowing better than to waste time and the last of her weapons trying to find the hidden shinobi, Sakura turned and bolted out of the room, bringing her hands up to complete the seals necessary to set the traps she had set up around the house soon after moving in.

It had been Hinata who had told her to take the precautions. The Hyūga heiress had sought Sakura out soon after her pregnancy became common knowledge to the rest of Konoha; by then Sakura had told Itachi about the pregnancy and was in the process of being moved to the Uchiha compound. Hinata showing up in the middle of the move had surprised Sakura, but not as much as why the normally docile girl was looking for her.

"The Hyūga and Uchiha are the two strongest ninja clans in Konaha anymore. As you know, our blood-line limits are often sought after," Hinata told her as she shifted from foot-to-foot nervously. Remembering Neji's story about the attack on Hinata as a child that had cost him his father and Hinata her uncle, Sakura felt unease settle in her stomach as she realized Hinata's point.

"There are also those who wish to simply prevent our blood-lines from continuing," Hinata continued, staring down at her lap. "I remember when my mother was pregnant with my sister she had guards at all time to protect her."

"They would attack an unborn child?" Sakura had whispered, horrified, as her hand unconsciously rose to rest on her still flat stomach.

"Clan matters are…complicated," Hinata said with a shrug before turning her soft gaze to Sakura. "It's best now if you learn you can never be too cautious."

Sakura had taken Hinata's warning to heart and had set up her new house with precautions. Itachi added to them as well and Sakura was more than grateful as she set the last hand seal and felt the genjutsu settle over the household. Sakura felt her heart skip when she realized it had caught two people, meaning there had been another assassin in the house. She could only trust the combined genjutsu to hold them for five minutes if they were strong enough to be sent to kill a Uchiha heir so Sakura went in to the kitchen where she had another stash of kunai and shuriken.

Strapping the kit to her thigh, she palmed three kunai as she tried to figure out a plan. The Uchiha residence was further from any other residential area in Konoha and she was in no state of dress to be running across the village. Within the Uchiha compound there were a few family homes just down the street, but she had never met the families and didn't know if they would be willing to come to her aid carrying Itachi's child or not as she was still seen as an outsider. Her only possible chance was making it to Mikoto and Fugaku's place in the heart of the residence and hope someone would notice the commotion.

Pulled from her thoughts as she felt the genjutsu finally break, Sakura tensed as she eased her way to the door that led to the small courtyard off the kitchen. Using the shadows to hide, she was next to the light switch when she felt the two intruders slide into the kitchen. Without hesitating, Sakura reached out to flip the switch turn on the lights, using it as a flash bomb, while throwing out kunai towards where she had sensed the two shinobi. Not wasting time, she escaped outside as she heard a grunt and the sound of a body falling, confirming she at least got another one before she broke through the door.

She hadn't taken more than three steps on the cold grass when she felt strong arms wrap around her, pulling her out of the light from the kitchen and into the shadows before she could even gasp.

"Sakura," a low voice spoke into her ear just as Sakura started to struggle.

"Itachi!" she gasped, shock and relief mixing together. She didn't know how he had gotten to Konoha when he was supposedly working somewhere far west of Fire, but the relief of having him there made her legs go momentarily weak as she let her body press against his.

"How many are left?" Surprised at how rough his voice sounded despite its low pitch to keep them undetected, Sakura realized how angry he truly was. She had been too surprised at his appearance to tell, but still being held against him she could feel the malice in his chakra surrounding her. It caused the hair on her arms to stand on end, while at the same time comforting because the anger was for her.

"One, possibly two, in the kitchen and one unconscious in the bedroom," Sakura told him, adrenaline and training making her straighten so she could be prepared if more showed up.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, tightening the arm still wrapped around her waist for a fraction of a second. He hadn't looked at her once, still protected by his ANBU mask and focused on the surrounding area.

"No, I'm fine," she told him softly before turning back to the courtyard. It was silent and she hadn't seen the last attacker come out of the house, but she could still feel him in the area. On top of that, she could see at least three other bodies lying dead, most likely killed by Itachi.

"Stay here. I will deal with him," Itachi instructed and Sakura shivered as his body heat suddenly disappeared from behind her. Staying alert, Sakura continued to monitor the area before there was a grunt and the hushed tones of talking before silence. A second later Itachi appeared next to her, blood on his uniform and arm guards and his mask removed.

"That is the last of them," he told her and Sakura nodded, finally letting her muscles relax as she straightened next to him. As they stepped back out into the partially lighted space, Sakura watched as Itachi's ANBU team appeared around them.

"Both of your parents and the Hokage have been notified," the calm voice of Shino spoke from the one on the left.

"The surrounding area has been checked as well. We could not find anyone else," came from the one in the middle and Sakura nodded at Neji in greeting.

"Who are they?" Sakura asked as she stood next to Itachi. She felt a little foolish standing around in one of his shirts and a pair of shorts, but she didn't want to return to the house to even grab slippers.

"Iwa, though they are unmarked," Itachi murmured and Sakura scowled as she crossed her arms before wincing, noticing a sharp pain coming from her stomach. The movement had not gone unnoticed by Itachi who immediately turned towards her, frowning slightly. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Sakura dismissed before feeling another shooting pain come from her stomach. A second later, she felt moisture on the inside of her legs and trickling down her thighs. Before she could react, she found herself in Itachi's arms and flying towards the Hokage tower as another pre-term contraction started.

sSs

"You'll be fine," Tsunade said a few hours later as she lowered her hands from Sakura's stomach.

It was just the two of them in the hospital room for the moment, Itachi having left an hour ago to take care of business with the police and ANBU about the attack on their house and to change. Sakura had felt guilty, but she had been grateful to have him leave. The idea she may have harmed the child during the fight had terrified her and Itachi's attentiveness only made the guilt worse.

"You're sure?"

"Are you doubting me?" Tsunade asked in rebuff and Sakura quickly shook her head, trusting her master's diagnosis. "I fixed the small tear that caused the bleeding. Otherwise, the baby is fine and will stay that way. You'll be on bed rest – don't give me that look! – for the next week, but that's just a precaution."

"Thank you, Shishou."

"Of course," Tsunade smiled before turning serious. "Sakura, I know you like your freedom, but you should reconsider moving closer to others. If something like this were to occur again … "

Nodding, Sakura knew what Tsunade didn't finish. An attack later during her pregnancy would mean Sakura would be at a further disadvantage during a fight, especially if she was alone.

"It has been arranged." As one, Sakura and Tsunade turned to the door to find Itachi in the doorway. He nodded in greeting to Tsunade before fixing his gaze on Sakura. "We will be relocating to another residence near my parents by the end of the week. My cousin lives close by as well."

"I approve," Tsunade said before turning to give Sakura a pointed look. "Bed rest, one week. Don't strain yourself."

"Yes, Shishou."

"You," Tsunade spoke to Itachi as she approached the Uchiha, scowl in place, "you make sure she gets it. And I need a report – "

"At your office," Itachi cut in and Tsunade nodded, pausing at the door.

"One last thing," the Hokage stated, causing Sakura to worry at the cat-like grin Tsunade wore. "No sex for two weeks, if you can make it."

"Shishou!" Blushing, Sakura crossed her arms in irritation as Tsunade left with a short laugh, closing the door behind her. With her departure silence filled the room as Sakura played nervously with her blanket rather than meet Itachi's gaze which stared at her without moving.

"Uh…the baby is fine," she finally told him, glancing at him through her bangs. She couldn't tell if he was happy or relieved at the news and had fallen silent again when Itachi finally moved.

Gasping, Sakura found herself pressed in to the hospital bed under Itachi as he kissed her. Sinking into his warmth, Sakura wrapped her arms around him as she returned the kiss, opening her mouth in welcome. One hand rested on the bed to keep his weight off of her while the other skimmed over her sides and hip before settling over her stomach. Covering his hand with her own, Sakura felt their fingers tangle together over their child, the simple act making her feel safe and happy. Finally breaking the kiss, Itachi rested his head against hers as they both caught their breath.

"I'm sorry I was not here."

"You were, especially when it counted," she told in return, tilting her head up so he could see her smile. If he hadn't returned from his mission when he had, Sakura more than likely would not have been able to take care of the three remaining nin outside the house. "You saved us."

Lifting herself up, Sakura kissed Itachi again as lips and tongue met in slow reassurance. As the kiss slowly deepened, Sakura groaned softly as Itachi's hand detangled from hers to skim up her side again, his fingers grazing her chest that grew heavy and taunt under the touch.

"Two weeks," Sakura groaned as she collapsed back on to the bed before they went too far. God knows what Tsunade would do to them if she learned they had disobeyed her orders and in a hospital room to boot.

"Week and a half tops." Grinning at what was more than likely a true estimation from Itachi, Sakura gave a breathless laugh as his fingers skimmed over her stomach again.

"We'll be lucky if we hit a week."

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><p><strong>Ending AN:** Action, adventure, and fluff! A perfect combination if I do say so.

**Disclaimer:** Still don't care…


	6. Happy Birthday

Naruto: This Unplanned Life

**A/N: ** Gasp! I'm alive!

Anyways, apologies. May – June was horrible with: 1) Getting a new job so transition out of the old one; 2) Two weeks to pack up my apartment; 3) Move 2000 miles back home; 4) Start new job; and 5) Finding a place to live. Sadly, internet has not been restored (I'm loading this from work, so keep quiet, 'kay?) but should be soon.

Anyways, I hope you didn't mind the wait and enjoy the chapter! I'm hoping now that I'm settling in and am not gone every weekend until my baby nephew is born and I'm hoping I can get writing again!

Please read and review!

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

Happy Birthday

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><p>She had made him a pink cake.<p>

Standing in the dining room, Itachi stared down at the cake in slight bewilderment, both at the color and the fact Sakura had made him a birthday cake to begin with. The last time he had received a birthday cake he had been 10 and it had been the last attempt by his mother to provide him with a normal childhood. Shortly after his career as a shinobi had begun and his birthday became nothing more than a marker of another year he had survived.

The house was quiet around him despite the fact it was early in the evening. However, he knew Sakura was prone to taking naps now that she was in the last month of the pregnancy and the report he had received by the member of the police force posted as her current guard had said she hadn't left the house in nearly four hours. Since the attack during her fifth month, Itachi had made sure a guard had been assigned to Sakura when he was away on missions in case there was another attempt. She had proven more agreeable to the arrangement than Itachi had originally expected, but he also knew she was logical and understood the need. It had been just another aspect of her personality Itachi had found himself drawn to.

As had become common for him since the wedding, Itachi left the kitchen to head to the hallway that would bring him to their bedroom at the back of the house to find Sakura. It was an indulgence on his part, but anymore he found himself driven by the need to find her whenever he returned from missions. Somehow being with her calmed him down, providing him a sense of peace he had missed and wanted most of his life. After years of denying himself even simplest wants and needs, he couldn't bring himself to resist the temptation Sakura presented and hadn't since their lives had become entangled.

As he passed the living room something caught his attention and he paused in the doorway to glance in. There he found Sakura curled up on the couch asleep, an open book resting on her lap. The lamp next to her mixed with the glow from the setting sun outside, turning her hair a bright mix of orange and pink. She had gotten much larger in the last few months of the pregnancy in comparison to the first six months when she had barely shown and his fascination with the baby, and her, hadn't stopped since she had first told him.

He could still remember the day Sakura had found him to tell him about the pregnancy. She had tracked him down to outside the ANBU building and her appearance for the first time since the night in her apartment had let him know something was wrong.

"_I…can we talk?" Sakura asked softly, not lifting her head up far enough to meet his inquiring gaze. Itachi noticed all color seemed to be washed from her skin and that she seemed to have lost more weight over the past month._

"_Of course," Itachi had agreed and they had gone to an empty park a few blocks from the ANBU building. Once there he noticed Sakura fidgeting as if nervous while staring everywhere but at him. He wondered if she felt embarrassed or guilty about them sleeping together so soon after Sasuke's death. Even he wasn't sure what had caused him to reach out to her like he had, but the fact she hadn't turned him away and had offered him a small measure of comfort was something he was thankful for, even if he couldn't explain it to her. _

_"What's wrong?"_

_Flinching at the question, Sakura took a deep breath before looking up to meet his gaze._

"_I'm pregnant," she stated softly. "I wasn't…I hadn't been taking any protection since…since…"_

_Calculating the math in his head, Itachi figured she was roughly 6 weeks along and he wondered how long she had known. From the exhaustion that seemed to radiate off of her, at least a week or two he reasoned._

"_All right," he finally said, causing Sakura's eyes to shoot back over to him. "We will need to speak with my parents."_

"_About, about what?" she had asked, confused. He wondered if he had ever noticed how expressive her eyes could be as he could easily read the fear, confusion, and sadness mingled together to darken them to a deep emerald. He could only speculate on what she had probably figured his reaction to be and talking to his parents hadn't figured in anywhere. Regardless, staring at the woman across from him Itachi had his mind made up._

"_We will get married," he told her and those green eyes widened._

"_Oh," she murmured and didn't speak for the rest of the day._

There was no denying they had faced a long period of awkward maneuvering as Sakura and Itachi tried to figure out what their relationship would, and could, be. Sakura's close romantic relationship with Sasuke contributed greatly towards that, but over time the two of them had started to reach out to each other past that and create their own relationship. Itachi found himself opening up to her more than he had any other person. Around her, he felt for the first time in years he could be something besides the heir to the Uchiha clan and ANBU captain.

Now, watching her sleep in their living room, Itachi felt a sense of attachment and feelings for her he had never felt for anyone before. She was truly remarkable, Itachi reasoned as he crossed the living room to kneel next to the couch. She gave him all that and the chance to be part of a family, providing him with a future he had never expected but now found himself looking forward to.

It wasn't unreasonable that for most of his life Itachi hadn't planned to be part of a family. His sense of duty to his clan and to Konoha made any aspect of a normal life seem distant and unlikely. He always knew one day he would marry and have kids with some docile female, as was his responsibility as clan heir, but that was as far as his involvement would go. Out of the two of them, he had assumed it to be Sasuke who would be the one who was actually part of a family, an idea that had shattered the same day Sasuke had died on that mission. Instead it was him who was settling in for the life he hadn't expected but now wanted more than anything it seemed.

As if sensing his presence he watched as Sakura shifted, wrinkling her forehead a second before blinking her eyes as she woke up. Almost immediately her eyes met his and Itachi watched as she smiled instantly before yawning.

"You're back," she murmured. "Welcome home."

"Thank you," Itachi replied, reaching up to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear and feel the soft texture of it on his fingers. When Sakura let out a soft hum in response as her eyes slid close partially, obviously still waking up, Itachi felt a wave of endearment pass through him, leading him to close the distance between them to kiss her softly. When he finally pulled back Sakura's eyes were bright and her cheeks flushed as she grinned at him, the last of her sleepiness gone.

"I'm glad you made it back today. Happy birthday, Itachi."

"Thank you, Sakura," he told her, wishing he knew how to better convey his appreciation for the effort. It seemed Sakura knew regardless as her smile brightened in response. "But if I can ask...why is the cake pink?"

"Eh? Oh...well, it was suppose to be red frosting," she explained as she blushed, "but we didn't have enough red dye and the only option was that or purple if I added in the blue dye. Do...do you not like it?"

"No. It's fine."

"I asked your mother for the recipe. She said you liked it as a child," Sakura explained to him. "She was the one to tell me it was your birthday today. You had never mentioned it before."

Hearing the implied question, Itachi sat back slightly as he explained, "I haven't celebrated it for years, so I hadn't thought to bring it up. My apologies."

"Well, we'll just have to start celebrating again, as a family. It's a good time to start, right?" Sakura smiled and Itachi found he could only nod in response. "Why don't we go an - Oh! Here!"

Curious, Itachi let Sakura to grab his arm and positioned his hand to rest over her stomach, allowing him to feel the baby kicking in her. Sakura's hand rested next to his as they felt their baby move, something that Itachi found miraculous after years of nothing but devastation and death in his life.

"Trying to get out, most likely," Sakura joked softly as they stayed still. "We're thinking it will only be a few more weeks. You'll end up sharing June as birthday month."

"I'll be here," Itachi promised. He wouldn't be assigned any more missions until after the baby was born, to be there for Sakura and to make sure she wasn't alone until then. And, to be honest, he wanted to be there to welcome his child into the world. "We'll celebrate again."

"I look forward to it," Sakura said with a smile as Itachi helped her from the couch, stretching to press a quick kiss to his lips before heading towards the kitchen. "Now, let's go eat some cake!"

Chuckling, Itachi followed after her to celebrate his birthday for the first time in thirteen years.

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><p><strong>Ending AN:** I suck at endings. That, and this may be have been written for…um…at least a month. Sorry...

Anyways, please read and review to show me some forgiveness! As for _As the Heaven's Cried_, I'm hoping a chapter by next week (it's Super-Duper long!). I think it may be well worth the wait.

**Disclaimer:** Naruto is not mine. Thank god or it would never end, would it?


	7. Welcome

Naruto: This Unplanned Life

**A/N: **I've come back from the dead! [¬º-°]¬

Yeah…sorry about the delay. I really wanted to get this chapter out for this story, but I was having problems (I'm mean, I kinda wanted to almost kill Sakura – I can't help it! – for some reason) yet eventually it came out this way. Someone had once asked to have Mikoto's perspective on having a grandchild, so that was the approach.

Anyways, the next couple of chapters should come out quicker since they are almost done and just need some finalizing. I'm hoping to get back into my ItaSaku mood after spending the whole weekend looking through drawings on the DA ItaSaku fan pages trying to find some motivation. Hopefully that means _As the Heaven's Cried_ will be updated soon as well. \(^o^)/

Sorry about the emoticons, found the wiki page and couldn't help myself. Read and review, or I'll send the zombie after you!

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

_Welcome_

_By: Strata's Stargazer_

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><p>There were only a few simple things Mikoto wanted in life. She wanted her two boys to grow up healthy and unknowing of the war that had filled her own youth as a ninja. She wanted them to find the right woman and know what true love was. And lastly, she wanted grandchildren to fill the main house with the laughter of children again.<p>

Arriving at the Konoha hospital as the sun was just starting to break over the Hokage monument, she pondered those wishes as she sat down at the bench placed outside the building.

Peace never truly come to Konoha and she had watched Itachi bear the burden of his genius and duty to his clan too early to enjoy a normal childhood while Sasuke was left to deal with the constant comparisons to his older brother. Both had struggled in the Academy for different reasons, but she was proud to know neither had to deal with the burden of taking a life until they were at the stage to handle it mentally. It was a small, but for a mother it was at least some comfort.

As for finding love, she had taken much joy in watching Sasuke's slowly budding romance with Sakura. She had watched from a distance as annoyance changed into caring for a teammate into affection and love as they became older. She had never doubted that one day Sasuke and Sakura would marry and she had spent many days curious about how Sakura's bright colors would mesh in with the dark tones of the Uchiha. With Itachi, Mikoto never gave up. However thick of a wall Itachi had erected around himself as he grew up, she knew him too well to think he would happily settle down for just a simple, unobtrusive girl. No – she firmly believed that when Itachi found someone he would let pass his barriers, he too would know the joy of love and partnership that came with the right person.

It was just an unfortunate twist of fate that the person he would let in would be Sakura as well.

Taking a deep breath, Mikoto reached for the handkerchief as the first tear fell. It had been nine months since she had last been called to the hospital to the view the cold form of Sasuke in the basement mortuary. It had not been her first time experiencing death, but never before had she felt the agonizing pain of having to lose a child she had nurtured and raised. Only sheer determination and knowledge that as the matriarch of the Uchiha clan she could not let her emotions be so easily viewed allowed her to stand next to Fugaku as he arranged for the cremation of their youngest son. A Uchiha could not receive a normal burial to protect the Sharingan, and it was Konoha tradition to cremate those who died on active duty.

Once that was done and they could return home – home where she could allow the tears to finally show, to start mourning the death of her baby – Mikoto recalled hearing the sound of someone crying and turned to see Sakura standing in the doorway to the holding room. As the girl had collapsed to the ground, Mikoto had felt her first tear break through and let Fugaku silently usher her to their suddenly empty house.

In aftermath of Sasuke's death, having to break the news to Itachi and being forced to stand outside on a clear day to watch her son go up in flames, she had little time to spare thoughts on others. Sasuke was well known enough in Konoha and had made enough friends and teammates to warrant a large funeral at the base of the monument and many outside the Uchiha clan came to pay their respects. As the fire had started to die down, Mikoto had allowed her gaze to focus to find Sakura standing in front of her and Fugaku before she offered them a deep bow.

"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered as she remained bent over. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

For that first moment Mikoto did not understand what Sakura could need forgiveness for, but understanding followed soon after and she found herself stepping forward to gather the crying girl in a hug.

"I- I should have gone! I should have been there to save him!" Sakura cried into Mikoto's shoulder. As Sakura had broken down in sobs, Mikoto had simply held her until Sakura's mother and her blond friend had come to collect her.

The next time Mikoto saw Sakura again, she was standing next to Itachi and deathly pale. His calm announcement of her pregnancy and the agreement to marry had given something for Mikoto to work on and she had thrown herself in the preparations. She kept silent on her opinions about the hasty marriage and the rumors – and her own belief – around the pregnancy, until one day when she had been heading home from shopping to spot Itachi and Sakura standing near a booth. The two were standing a respectful distance from each other, but as Mikoto watched Sakura held up the item she had been pursuing and Itachi had looked down at her, his eyes softening as he responded. To most it wouldn't seem like much, but Mikoto knew her son well and that simple sign was enough to let her know that Itachi cared for his new wife. After that, any reservations she had disappeared and she watched as Itachi let Sakura past his walls as she knew would one day happen.

Sitting on the bench as she watched while Konoha was lit with the fire of the early morning light, Mikoto found herself smiling past the tears. She knew over time the pain of Sasuke's death would surely fade, as it had before and would again in the future, but she could not deny that she was not completely unhappy with the current situation. Every day she watched the growing affection between Itachi and Sakura grow and she hoped that the arrival of her first grandchild would let them see that the marriage that had started out of convenience was changing into one of love.

Taking a deep breath, she collected herself as she wiped away the last of the tears before standing. Inside the hospital, she checked in with the front desk and was escorted through the quiet halls. Stopping in front of door, she took another deep breath before sliding the door open with a soft knock.

Stepping into the room, she found the new family together at the bed. Sakura sat up in the bed, resting against a pile of pillow, while Itachi sat in the chair next to it, their heads bent together to watch the child sleeping in Sakura's arms. At her arrival they looked up together before Sakura grinned widely in greeting as Itachi come to join her.

"Oka-san."

"I hope I didn't come too early," Mikoto lied, having planned to come to be the first to see her grandchild. Itachi quirked an eyebrow and she knew he wasn't fooled, but she didn't care as she joined him next to the bed.

"We've been up for a while," Sakura assured her as Itachi took the baby from her. Mikoto didn't miss the exchange of silent words and smiles between the two new parents, her heart warming to see that they both took the baby's arrival as a joyful event. Watching Itachi hold his child – her grandchild – Mikoto blinked back the tears that formed before stepping up.

"May I?" she asked and Itachi turned, letting Mikoto take the slight weight in her arms. Glancing down at the sleeping child, Mikoto blinked when she noticed the dusting of fine blond hair gracing the child's head instead of the black she was expecting. Running her fingers over the down soft hair, she looked up to see Sakura smiling somewhat sheepishly.

"My mother informed me I was blond the first few months as a baby before my color changed," Sakura informed Mikoto who blinked at the idea of a pink haired Uchiha child. "We won't be sure of the true color for a bit it seems."

"Is it a boy or a girl?" she asked as the baby was swaddled in an un-revealing white blanket. Glancing up, Mikoto saw another look pass between Itachi and Sakura before Itachi spoke.

"We had a girl," Itachi informed her and Mikoto caught the faint tone of wonder in his voice. With a smile, Mikoto took in her granddaughter as at the bed Sakura entwined her finger's with Itachi's. "Emiko."

"Oh," Mikoto breathed, staring down at the sleeping child. Yes, she decided with a joyful heart, she had nothing to worry between Itachi and Sakura and their future.

"Welcome, our Emiko."

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><p><strong>Again, please review. It's right down there! <strong>

**Disclaimer:** Naruto does not belong to me. I'm ok with that. It would never be updated other wise.


	8. Break Me Down

**A/N: **I forgot to mention it in the last chapter, but Emiko's name would be written in Japanese as 恵 (e) "blessing, favour" 美 (mi) "beautiful" and子 (ko) "child" – So her name was basically meant to be "blessed beautiful child". I wanted a name with that kind of meaning, especially in light of Mokoto's thoughts (you can re-read the chapter with this in mind and hey! Review!).

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

_Break Me Down_

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><p>"Please stop crying Emiko, please stop."<p>

Resisting the need to cry herself, Sakura continued her attempts to calm down Emiko as she walked around the house. Her daughter hadn't stopped crying or fussing for almost two hours, not wanting to sleep, be fed, or be held. She had tried pacifiers, bottles, toys, but Emiko couldn't be settled. At a month old Sakura wasn't sure what her daughter wanted, but she couldn't find it and hadn't for nearly a week. She was exhausted and the naps she got when Mikoto or her mother came over were too short to do much good.

"Hush little baby," Sakura hummed, trying to ignore the headache building at the base of her skull as she gently rubbed Emiko's back. Even singing didn't seem to work and Sakura took a deep breath just as the front door opened. She recognized the chakra immediately and turned to smile in relief at Itachi as he walked in.

"Itachi," Sakura greeted as Itachi closed the door before joining her. He was still in his ANBU outfit as he typically was when returning home from a mission and Sakura took in the familiar smell of sweat, leather and cleaning oil he used on his weapons. "Welcome home."

"I'm home," he said in greeting before looking at the still fussing Emiko. "Is she upset?"

"I don't know. I haven't been able to get her to calm down for more than a few minutes for the past few hours," Sakura explained, hoping her frustration didn't show. Watching as Itachi turned and quickly removed his ANBU armor and guards, she was surprised when he turned and took Emiko from her. "You don't - you can..."

Falling silent as Emiko finally stopped crying, Sakura was in awe as Emiko curled up on his chest, sucking on her thumb as she closed her eyes.

"Oh," Sakura breathed before sinking into one of their dining room chairs. The silence was blissful, but Sakura fought back the emotions that rose in her at the thought she hadn't been able to take care of Emiko herself. What kind of mother did that make her? Closing her eyes, Sakura slumped forward to prop her arms on the table to support her head. She meant to tell Itachi she just needed a break, just a few minutes to recover her energy and emotions, but soon slipped into a light half sleep.

A warm hand on her neck woke her up and Sakura blinked rapidly as she straightened to see Itachi standing next to her. He was in his normal clothing and she could smell water and soap, meaning she had been out of it long enough for him to clean up.

"Emiko - "

"Asleep," he assured her, his hand rubbing some of the tension from her neck.

"Ok," Sakura sighed before lifting her head in embarrassment. "Dinner! I haven't started anything. We might not have anything. I didn't make it out -"

"Sakura, relax." Itachi murmured, pressing her back into the chair when she moved to stand. "I'll find something or we'll get food from somewhere."

"Alright," she sighed, slumping again when Itachi went in to the kitchen.

Some wife and mother she was, she thought bitterly. Couldn't soothe her own child, couldn't keep food in the house. Taking a shaky breath to try and calm her fraying emotions, Sakura glanced up when she registered Itachi coughing.

"Itachi? Are you ok?"

She had noticed before he had left for this mission he had developed a cough, but the fact he had it nearly a week later and she could hear the congestion worried her. She didn't know if he could get sick – a cold and Itachi didn't work together in her mind - but he was prone to pushing himself to exhaustion.

"I am fine," he responded, but started coughing again a few minutes later. When it didn't immediately stop, Sakura left the table and stepped in the kitchen, instantly noticing the blood spots on the counter and the distinct copper smell of blood in the air.

"Itachi?" Glancing over it felt like her heart stopped when she saw blood on his hands and the corner of his mouth. "Are you wounded?"

"No. It'll pass," he dismissed and Sakura frowned at the words. It meant something like this had happened before and he hadn't told her.

"How long has this been occurring, Itachi?" Sakura asked him but he didn't answer as he washed the blood off his hands. "Itachi!"

"A few months, nothing more."

"You've been taking more missions lately." Missions, especially ANBU missions, could easily exasperate a medical condition, adding on top of it the strain the Sharingan placed on its wielders. "Have you had anyone look at it?"

Of course not she realized when Itachi didn't meet her gaze. He was even more stubborn than Kakashi at going to the hospital for any reason.

"Let me look."

"I'm fine -"

"No, you're not!" Sakura yelled out in panic and anger, startling Itachi into looking at her at the sudden burst of emotion. She knew in the back of her head she was over reacting, but seeing him like that made her remaining control on her exhausted mind slip even more. "It isn't normal Itachi. Now let me look!"

Sighing softly, Itachi nodded and Sakura placed her hands over his chest as she brought up her healing chakra. Going to check his lungs first, she had just started probing when the lungs gave a violent spasm and Itachi started coughing again, covering his mouth as blood came up again. The attack was longer than the last one and Sakura took note of the wet sound of his breathing and started to worry about him aspirating blood when he suddenly slumped forward.

"Itachi!" she cried, catching him just as he started to fall forward. The weight of him nearly sent both of them to the floor until Sakura could stabilize their position. Glancing up at him, she noticed how pale he had gotten and the trail of blood around his mouth, though his eyes remained closed. "Itachi?"

Worried when he didn't answer, Sakura reached up and felt for his pulse. It was racing and she became more worried when she noticed it was also erratic, meaning his heart was also having problems. For the first time since she had started training under Tsunade, Sakura felt a suffocating panic settle over her.

"Tsunade," she breathed finally. She had to find Tsunade and Shizune to help her, but first she had to get Itachi to the hospital so he could be placed under watch.

With that goal in mind, Sakura brought her hands up and completed the transportation jutsu that would take them to the hospital. Doing it for two people would exhaust her chakra, but she didn't have time to carry him across Konoha. In a flash they disappeared from the kitchen and the familiar smell of the hospital hit her nose.

"Sakura-san!" a nurse yelled in surprise and Sakura looked up to realize she had taken them to the second floor unit where she normally worked. "What's wrong?"

"Itachi. He's sick, or hurt, I don't know," Sakura told her in a rush, unable to calm herself. "I need a bed and …Shishou! Please send someone to Tsunade-shishou!"

"Ok, yes," the nurse said, picking up on Sakura's panic with wide eyes. As the nurse rushed to the desk, a few other nurses and medic-nins came over to help Sakura up off the ground and place Itachi on to a stretcher. His breathing had become shallow and still sounded wet, but Sakura was more worried that he hadn't woken up once since passing out.

"Sakura-san, Tsunade-sama is coming," one of the medic-nins told her. "What you like for us to do now?"

"I don't…" Sakura whispered, unable to tear her gaze away from Itachi's still face. He looked just like Sasuke had when they had brought him back from that mission, motionless and pale and the last of her control broke at the thought. The tears she had been holding back flooded her eyes, blurring her gaze. "I don't know. I don't know!"

Collapsing on the ground, Sakura tried to stifle the sobs that shook her whole body. She didn't know how long she had knelt there crying but eventually she became aware of silence around her and lifted her head to realize the bed Itachi had been on was gone.

"Itachi," she gasped. "Itachi!"

"Sakura, calm down," a rough voice ordered and Sakura spun to see Tsunade walking towards her through the hallway. "I have him getting X-rays now with Shizune."

"Shi-shishou," Sakura gasped, her voice catching before tears started to fall again. "I… he just…"

Watching her, Tsunade recognized an emotional breakdown in Sakura's wide eyes and frantic movements. She had undergone it herself shortly after Dan's death and knew the thoughts going through Sakura's head. It also didn't help that it was less than a year after Sasuke's death and Sakura was still slowly recovering from it.

Hugging her student in a rare sign of affection, Tsunade felt Sakura collapse against her as she started to cry again. Slowly the sobs calmed before Sakura let out a shaky sigh that normally signaled the end of most of her crying stints as she straightened. Her student's face was blotchy and her eyes bloodshot and Tsunade didn't like the detachment she saw in them before she thought of something.

"Where is Emiko?"

"Emiko?" Sakura asked confused before paling. "Oh my god, I left her! She was sleeping and I…I forgot her. I forgot about my daughter!"

"Calm down, Sakura. I'm sure she's still fine," Tsunade told her and waved down another medic-nin as Sakura jerked away to start pacing the hallway, hand pressed over her mouth.

How could she have forgotten about Emiko? Sakura thought dimly before she found herself staring down the hallway where Itachi would be in a daze.

"Sakura. Sakura!" Snapped from her thoughts at Tsunade's voice, Sakura turned to blink at her. "Your mother is coming here to get you. You need to go home."

"No! Itachi…let me stay –!"

"No," Tsunade interrupted harshly and Sakura gaped at her before scowling in anger.

"That's my husband!"

"You aren't fit to be here! You can barely stand on your feet and you have to take care of Emiko!"

"I don't care about –! " Gasping at what she was just about to say, Sakura staggered into one of the chairs nearby. Understanding flashed over Tsunade's face and Sakura couldn't meet her teacher's gaze as she wrapped her arms around her waist.

"You will go home and rest. You can come back in the morning to see Itachi," Tsunade ordered after a few seconds of silence and Sakura nodded mutely.

Even after her mother arrived, Sakura remained mute and couldn't shake her sudden disconnection from everything. They rushed through the streets with another medic-nin accompanying them and they eventually made it back to her and Itachi's place, which looked like nothing had changed since she had left.

As Sakura numbly walked in to the kitchen to stare at the blood on the counter and floor, she heard her mother come up behind her and settle a hand on her shoulder.

"Emiko was still sleeping, she seems fine."

"I don't care," Sakura muttered softly before raising her eyes to meet her mother's. "I don't care."

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><p><strong>AN: **I have mentioned in the past that for some reason I enjoy making Sakura suffer? Sorry Sakura…

Anyways, apologies again for the long delay between updates. I had a three month span where I didn't watch anime (got me some Dr. Who!) and so everything came to a stop. I, did however, spend the past weekend at Sakura-Con, so my anime juices are flowing again.

On that note: Sengoku Basara is epic and you all need to go watch it. Now! If you're a girl, the dudes are hot. If you're a guy, there is fan service and the fight scenes are awesome. And season 2 brings in flying horses. That is all.

**Disclaimer:** Naruto does not belong to me.


	9. Despair

Naruto – This Unplanned Life

**A/N:** I know, it's been six months since the last update. I make no promises, but here is a new chapter at least!

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

_Despair_

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><p>"Sakura." Lifting her head from where she was resting against the window in her old bedroom, Sakura turned her head to stare at her mother who was holding Emiko. Something in her shrank back at the sight of her daughter who was waving her arms out at her and Sakura turned to stare out the window again. "You have to feed her."<p>

"No," she said, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

She had been at her mother's house for two days, since Itachi had collapsed in the kitchen. Her mother hadn't wanted her left alone in their house, especially after Sakura continued to refuse to hold Emiko, so they had brought clothing and baby items to her place. Sakura had spent most of her time in her old bedroom staring out the window, swallowed by fear and pain deeper than anything she had felt when Sasuke had died.

"It wasn't an option," her mother said, coming over to her and holding out Emiko. This argument had repeated itself constantly over the last two days and while Sakura won the majority of the time and Emiko started to be fed out of a bottle, her mother was just as stubborn. "You must spend time with her. What would Itachi-san think if he saw you right now?"

"Don't! Don't talk about Itachi!" Sakura begged as fresh tears started to fall. She couldn't think about Itachi, because when she did she couldn't help but think the worst.

"Emiko is your daughter, Sakura," her mother said and forced Emiko into Sakura's arm before bending to place a kiss on Sakura's forehead. "It will get better. Just give it time."

Watching as her mother turned to start straightening up her room, Sakura finally lowered her gaze at Emiko who waved a hand as she gave a smile. Taking in the pale hair and green eyes that matched hers, Sakura tried to find hints of Itachi in her daughter's face all the while feeling as if there was some invisible barrier holding her back from the baby. When she eventually realized she wasn't going to find anything, just like she hadn't the last time she looked, Sakura shifted her so Emiko could feed.

When she was done, Sakura turned to hold out Emiko to her mother. She couldn't hold her anymore and honestly feared what might happen if Emiko stayed with her for long.

"Sakura."

"I'm tired," Sakura stated, ignoring her mother to curl up on her bed, squeezing her eyes closed. She heard her mother sigh and leave the room, shortly followed by Emiko starting to cry. Biting her own lip as her own tears started to fall Sakura pressed a hand over her ears in an attempt to forget everything.

sSs

"I heard you were up," Tsunade said as she walked in to the room where Itachi was staying at the hospital to see him sitting up in the bed. She knew he should be lying down and from she had gotten from the nurses he had been told several times only to ignore them. Still, they were just lucky he hadn't felt like up and leaving the hospital on his own.

"Hokage-sama," the Uchiha greeted, his eyes cloudy from the pain and sleeping medication they had him on. Those eyes slid past her to look at the door and Tsunade knew he was expecting someone to join them. However, Sakura hadn't returned to the hospital since Tsunade had sent her away four days ago and from what she had heard, hadn't stepped foot outside of her mother's since then either.

"I know stubbornness runs in the family, Uchiha, but you pulled one hell of a stupid stunt with this," Tsunade bit out angrily as she sat in the chair next to his bed, crossing her legs as she glared at him. She was slowly starting to understand what had rendered one of the strongest shinobi in Konoha nearly catatonic and did not like it. Especially not after seeing what it had done to the emotional well-being of her student.

"X-rays have shown severe damage to your lungs, heart, and various other organs," Tsunade told him stiffly, crossing her arms as she continued to glare at him. "Damage that has occurred over years, not months."

Itachi simply remained silent as he stared at her and Tsunade let out a huff of irritation. Damn if she knew what Sakura saw in him, but her student cared deeply for the Uchiha – probably more than she, herself, had come to realize – so Tsunade tolerated him. Barely.

"From the tests we've run, we're looking at some kind of autoimmune disease," Tsunade told him, scowling. "It'll take us some time, but from what I've researched and some of the early tests we're running, we may be able to control the disease before it progresses further. However, it would have been better had you come in when the symptoms had first shown up rather that trying to hide it – especially hiding it from Sakura."

"Where is she?" Itachi finally spoke at the mention of Sakure and Tsunade took some comfort in the worry creeping into his normally otherwise flat tone.

"At home with her mother," Tsunade told him, watching him. She wasn't sure what she wanted to tell him, worried that it would prompt him to leave the hospital.

"Back to your stupidity," she finally said, deciding it to leave it as it was for the moment. "I will start working on healing you. But I warn you: it will take some time since we'll have to go at the pace your body sets."

"Can I go on missions?" Itachi asked and Tsunade blew out an irritated huff of air as she resisted the urge to hit him.

"I understand your desire to protect Konoha, but you need to give yourself time to recover. No missions for a month and no ANBU missions for two more after that. Also, I want you to stop all use of the Sharingan. Your Kekkei Genkai puts too much strain on your body," Tsunade said, rising from her chair. "Now, try to be a good patient and get some rest. You need to learn your limits, Uchiha."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Itachi nodded, turning to stare out the window and Tsunade turned and left the room frowning.

sSs

"Sakura."

"Mikoto-san," Sakura said in surprise, moving to stand when she saw Itachi's mother standing in the doorway to her room. Painfully aware that her hair was a mess and she was in a pair of baggy pants and one of Itachi's shirts that she had been wearing for the last two days, Sakura fidgeted nervously as Mikoto entered the room. Seeing Emiko in Mikoto's arm, Sakura flinched softly as she cross her arms across her stomach.

"Your mother came and spoke with me a few days ago, telling me Itachi is in the hospital due to a severe injury caused by a mission," Mikoto told her. Sakura still didn't know what had caused Itachi's collapse which just added to her guilt, so she simply nodded as the two women continued to stand. "May I come in?"

"I, yes! I'm sorry it's dirty," Sakura babbled, wincing when she took in the unmade bed and clothes hanging off chairs and her dresser.

"It's fine," Mikoto told her, sitting on the bed as she settled Emiko on her lap. Standing, Sakura watched the two before returning to where she had been sitting at her desk, staring down at the ground. After several minutes of silence, Mikoto finally cleared her throat and Sakura glanced over to see Mikoto watching her.

"When I had Itachi, I was probably your age. I had been married to Fugaku for just under a year," Mikoto explained and Sakura blinked in confusion at the random topic. "I was so excited when I had learned we were having a boy and I couldn't wait for him to come.

"But, a few weeks after he was born, I had problems being around him," Mikoto explained softly, smoothing down Emiko's hair as Sakura continued to watch her. "I didn't want to hold him or feed him and it tore me apart. He was my child and I didn't want to even see him some days."

"I – "

"It was an old friend of mine who snapped me out of it," Mikoto went on to explain, ignoring Sakura's halted word. "Another friend of ours who worked at the hospital told me it was separation depression and it was common in women after giving birth. Because of them I was able to get better and take care of Itachi again, before anything bad happened.

"I'm sorry I didn't recognize the signs in you," Mikoto finally said, lifting her head to meet Sakura's startled gaze. "You've been under so much stress since Sasuke's death and I could see you were having problems, but I didn't make the connection. I'm sorry Sakura."

"No, I… it's my fault," Sakura whispered. Emiko was her daughter, she shouldn't feel this way.

"No, it's not," Mikoto said, soothing Emiko. "I'm sure Itachi's injuries didn't help at all. Your mother told me you haven't seen him since you took him in. It's been over a week."

"I can't, I can't see him," Sakura told her softly, wrapping her arms around her stomach. She could still recall what he had looked like lying on the hospital bed and every time it filled her with uncontrollable panic and loss.

"What are you afraid of, Sakura?" Mikoto asked softly and Sakura looked up at her before feeling the tears burn her eyes.

"After Sasuke, I can't …" she whispered, fighting back the fear that wanted to choke her.

She loved him, Sakura realized. It was the first time she was honestly admitting the feeling to herself, though she had suspected she was slowly falling in love with Itachi since before their wedding. Somehow, in the space of eight months, Itachi had come to mean so much to her. And it was that reason why she couldn't face him.

"If I lose him, I won't recover again," Sakura whispered, almost forgetting about Mikoto. She had felt like she had lost everything when Sasuke had died, her most precious person. It had been Itachi who had helped her recover and continue and eventually take the role his brother once filled for completely different reasons. If she lost him, now, she knew something in her would break completely and she could never repair herself again.

"And how does hiding here do anything?" Mikoto asked and Sakura snapped her head. Mikoto looked cold and angry as she stared down at Sakura, a true Uchiha member, even as she gently held Emiko. "Itachi is your husband and you have abandoned him. It is a sign of disrespect to him and to your family."

Why couldn't Mikoto understand? Sakura was staying away from Itachi not to hurt him, but because it would be the only way she could save herself. Her feelings and attachments were too strong and she had to sever them now if she were to survive.

"Sakura," Mikoto said softly after several minutes of silence, "it will work out. Have faith."

Turning, Mikoto left Sakura alone again in her room and there was silence for several minutes before Sakura broke down in sobs once again.

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><p><strong>Ending AN:** I feel rather mean having Sakura go through postpartum depression on top of the whole Itachi illness thing (and really? No one reviewed and complained I tried to kill to Itachi. I should have let him die, but that would ruin the story), but I figured it would be rather likely she would have it. I worked a little with women with PPD and have done some minor research on it, and it is a common occurrence with pregnancy, so poor Sakura got it.

Anyways, please review! I'm going to try and start on the next chapter.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.


	10. Fight

Naruto – This Unplanned Life

**A/N:** My apologies for the delay, sadly there are really no excuses besides the fact I couldn't find a way to get this chapter done in a way I was satisfied. But, here it is!

Enjoy.

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

_Fight_

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><p>A few days following Mikoto's visit, Sakura left her parent's house to step into the still night. It was just after two in the morning so her breath misted in the early morning chill before she pulled up the hood on her sweater and started down the street. Wandering through the empty streets, Sakura didn't pay attention to where she traveled as long it was outside, away from the suffocating pressure of her mother's worries and Emiko's cries whenever she shied away from her daughter.<p>

Mikoto and her mother had tried to help by bringing her materials related to post-partum depression, but Sakura had only flipped through the books before tossing them away. It didn't matter it was common in new mothers, the fact that she couldn't find a way to connect with her own daughter made her feel tainted and the books only made it worse.

"Emiko," she muttered, stopping briefly to glance up at the Hokage monument. It had been Itachi who had come up with the name and at that time it had seemed so perfect, the blessed and beautiful child. It had represented the blessing Emiko had become to the both of them, drawing them together in the wake of Sasuke's death to create a family, a family Sakura had thought she had lost along with Sasuke. Only now she was in love with his older brother and once again her happiness was threatening to shatter around her again.

Turning away from the monument and he depressing thoughts, Sakura left and started to jog through the city. Soon the burning in her legs and lungs pushed away the pain of her emotions and she continued for some time until her feet started to slow. Breathing deep, she shifted to a walk as she took in her surroundings to find her feet had brought her the Memorial Stone near the old Team 7 training ground.

"As if I wasn't dealing with enough," she sighed softly.

Stopping and staring at the stone for several moments, she finally took a deep breath and approached the memorial until she could make out the names engraved into the dark rock. Out of respect she gave a quick prayer for her predecessors before crouching to stare at the bottom where the most recent names had been engraved.

"Sasuke," she murmured, brushing her fingers gently over his name. She had only come to the Memorial Stone once, shortly after his name had been engraved with the rest of Team Seven when they had said their final farewells.

"I don't think Kakashi-sensei has been able to forgive himself yet, or Naruto," Saruka said out loud as she settled in next to the stone. "They both think they let you down, which is just stupid. You always could take care of yourself."

Finding herself unable to stop talking now that she had started, Saruka found herself describing everything that had happened since Sasuke's death. She was surprised at all the good moments, like the fact that Naruto and Hinata had made their relationship public knowledge shortly after the funeral, or when Ino had tried dating three guys at once and having all three show up for a date at the same time. Most often, though, she talked of her new life with Itachi and living at the Uchiha compound.

"It's sweet, how awkward he is sometimes," Sakura found herself saying, recalling the first time Itachi had introduced her to someone as Uchiha Sakura, as his wife. He had said the words fine – it wasn't as he would forget something as easy as a change in her name – but what Sakura recalled was the look in his eyes as he registered the words, a mix of surprise and happiness when he had looked at her. Every once in a while she would still find him watching her with that same look in his eyes, as if he couldn't believe the fact this was their life.

"I love him, Sasuke," she confessed, wrapping her arms around her legs and leaning over until her forehead could rest on her knees. "I didn't want to, not after losing you; I never even expected to fall in love again. You were always the one and when you died…I thought that part of me died too."

"But what do I do now?" she asked hoarsely, closing her eyes as the tears returned. "I just don't know what to do. I miss him and I want to see him so badly it hurts, but I can't! I'm so scared of losing him like I lost you; I'm being a coward and hiding from him. I just don't know how I could put myself together again if he dies."

Exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally, Sakura curled her torso into her legs until she could rest her forehead against her knees and stayed there until the sound of approaching footsteps broke her isolation.

"Sakura-chan?" Looking up in surprise, Sakura met Naruto's surprised look with her own. He was dressed in standard shinobi fatigues and for a second Sakura could see the Fourth Hokage in his son before the impression disappeared.

"Naruto," she greeted, before quickly glancing over him out of habit to search for wounds. "Did you just return from a mission?"

"Yeah. I just came by to… to talk with Sasuke, I guess," Naruto shrugged with an unreadable glance at her.

"I get it," Sakura reassured him, finding herself smiling briefly. "Sasuke was always a good listener."

Naruto nodded awkwardly and shuffled his feet before glancing over his shoulder.

"I guess I'm going to…"

"Will you stay for a bit, please?" Sakura asked him suddenly. She hadn't seen Naruto since her pregnancy was announced, so it had been nearly seven months since they had last been in each other's company. He had not taken the news of her pregnancy and upcoming marriage to Itachi well, due to its unexpectedness and how close it was on the heel of Sasuke's death, and the accusation in his eyes had made her stay away since then.

"Please?" she whispered again when it looked like he was still debating. She didn't want to be alone with Sasuke's ghost any longer, but couldn't make herself go back home yet. Blinking when Naruto sat next to her, Sakura smiled against the tears. "Thank you."

"Shouldn't you be pregnant or something?" he asked her awkwardly after a few minutes and Sakura was so startled she let out a short laugh.

"I had the baby over a month ago, Naruto."

"Ah, right. You had a girl, right?"

"Hm," Sakura hummed in confirmation. "Emiko."

"I guess Hinata-chan probably wants to see her. She loves kids," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head as he stared at the ground.

"How is she?" Sakura asked, steering the conversation away from her and emotionally dangerous territory.

"Fine. Busy."

"When are you going to propose?" she teased, nudging him, and Naruto went bright red causing her eyes to widen. "Naruto!"

"It's not official, not yet," Naruto told her before frowning. "Hinata-chan - she gets what I want and is willing to support me, even though it's going to take some time. But, after _that_… I didn't want to her to think I didn't care."

"I'm happy for you, Naruto, and I think it's great," Sakura told him honestly, leaning her head against his shoulder for a few minutes.

"What about you?" he finally asked and Sakura lifted her head from his shoulder to look across the field. "How's it going with you and the other Uchiha?"

"Don't call Itachi that," Sakura chided, but unable to put that much force behind the words.

"You are happy, aren't you, Sakura?" he asked seriously a few minutes later when Sakura failed to answer his question. "He isn't mean or anything?"

"No!" she said, shocked at the question. "No, Itachi is …he's…"

"Sakura!?" Naruto said surprised when Sakura suddenly started crying again. Waving him silent, Sakura simply curled into her legs as the tears that were never far away came back.

Blurting it all out, Sakura ended up telling Naruto everything that happened since the night Itachi had collapsed in the kitchen. She couldn't stop the torrent of truth, that Itachi wasn't wounded as a result of a fight as their parents thought, but from kind of health condition he had been hiding from her.

"I can't bring myself to see him," she told Naruto hoarsely. "I can't watch him die and be left behind again."

"I don't understand," Naruto told her with a frown, standing up so Sakura had to stare up at him in surprise. "You talk like he's already as good as dead!"

"No, but – "

"If you want to be with him, Sakura-chan, than go be with him!" Naruto told her angrily. "It's that easy! The regrets you would have… I think that would be much worse than what you would get trying to selfishly protect yourself."

"I can't go through what happened with Sasuke-kun again, Naruto," she told him. "I'm not that strong."

"Maybe not, but you aren't weak enough to give up without a fight, Sakura-chan," Naruto told her before pointing at the rock. "If you had been there that day with us… would you have just let Sasuke lie there on the ground and die?"

"Of course not!" Sakura said, anger at the statement pushing her to her feet. "I would have done everything I could to save Sasuke, you know that!"

"So you don't love Itachi enough to do that same?" Naruto interrupted and Sakura froze at the question. "Is that what you're saying?"

"No!"

"Then what are you doing!?" he demanded. "If you love him, fight to keep him! Don't just let him be taken from you because you're scared!"

"It's not that easy, Naruto!"

"I know it's not, Sakura-chan. I never said it was," Naruto told her softly, all of his emotions suddenly calm and Sakura turned away as a sob escaped. Jumping when Naruto stepped up and wrapped his arm around her, she eventually turned to wrap her arms around him and cry into his shoulder. "It won't be easy, but you can do it; you're the smartest medic I know. And you won't be alone, Sakura."

Remaining silent, Sakura finally calmed down after a few minutes. Sniffing loudly, she let go of Naruto to rub her sleeve against her face to wipe away the tears.

"I'm really tired of crying," she muttered, not looking at him in embarrassment. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little better after arguing with him. Like normal, Naruto was great at making people face their fears and teaching them how to move past them and for the first time in two weeks she didn't feel like she was swimming in despair.

"You do look a little blotchy. And your eyes are so swollen!"

"Idiot," Sakura growled, punching him on the shoulder.

"I'll always be Sakura-chan's idiot," Naruto sighed in agreement, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her away from the Memorial Stone. "Now let's go home – I'm sure we've reminded Sasuke why he hated hanging out with us."

Laughing softly, Sakura let Naruto guide her through the village until they reached where they would have to split ways. Silently, she turned and hugged him tightly for minute before stepping back.

"Come by and visit soon," she told him. "Bring Hinata-chan."

"It's a promise," Naruto told her with a nod, "believe it."

Smiling in response, they parted and Sakura headed down the street and was almost to the corner when Naruto called out her name. Turning back to look down the street, Sakura felt something in her chest lighten when she saw Naruto grinning at her from down the street. "I think Sasuke would be happy you're in love with his brother!"

Unable to speak through the emotions swimming through her at his comment, Sakura waved at him in response before heading back to her parent's. The sun was just starting its rise over the village when she stepped inside and headed upstairs. At the top of the stairs she paused when she heard noise in Emiko's temporary room and was making her way towards the door when she saw the room to her parent's room open. Meeting her mother's gaze, Sakura smiled gently before turning and entering her daughter's room.

Crossing over to the crib, Sakura bent and met the familiar green gaze that stared up at her. Feeling the normal panic rise when she stared down at Emiko, Sakura finally pushed it away instead of letting it swallow her like she had in the past. Picking Emiko up, Sakura held her gently to her chest as she bent to place a soft kiss. As if sensing the change in her mother, Emiko blinked at Sakura for a few seconds before suddenly smiling and waving her arms happily.

"I'll fight," Sakura promised her softly, glancing out the window across the town to where the hospital was. "I'll bring him home to us."

sSs

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><p><strong>Ending AN:** Oh my lord, you have no idea how much this chapter has killed me to write. I had this idea, but couldn't get it out; tried a different way, still didn't like it. Eventually I re-visited a scene from earlier in the story that got cut and that's where Naruto came in.

I'm still not sure how much I like this turnout, but I think it'll be one of those chapters you re-read down the line and go, "Hey, that actually wasn't so bad!"

And Sakura stops crying soon, because even I'm tired of writing her all emotional all the time.

Please review!

**Disclaimer:** Naruto and its many characters do not belong to me.


	11. Stay

Naruto - This Unplanned Life

**A/N: **Well holy crap, this has been a productive week! A new one-shot for a new book series (Cinder and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer – if you like fairy tales and great characters, check it out) and I got this chapter out after avoiding it for several months.

Might even get a new story up for "As the Heaven's Cried"…maybe… sometime? Or finish the epilogue for Kakusei Heroism...

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><p><em>This Unplanned Life<em>

_Stay_

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><p>"Sakura!"<p>

Giving a guilty start and nearly dropping the chart in her hands, Sakura looked up to see Tsunade walking towards her down the hallway. The surprise in Tsunade's voice is unmistakable, and fighting down her embarrassment about her actions since she had brought Itachi in, Sakura marked the spot she had been reading – Itachi's latest chest examination – and turned towards her mentor.

"I was just – "

"Is he with you?" Tsunade asked curtly, cutting off Sakura's explanation. Blinking, Sakura gazed at her mentor before the chart slid from her hands as she spun and raced to Itachi's room. She hadn't gone in yet, trying to muster the courage to face Itachi, and when she threw open the door to his room it was to find it empty.

"Itachi? Itachi!" she called, stepping towards the bed as if her words would summon him. Turning at the sound behind her, Sakura stared at Tsunade in stunned confusion.

"We only noticed a little while ago," Tsunade explained, scowling at the empty bed. "We've been slowly cutting back his pain meds, which have had the added bonus of keeping him sedated, but I should have expected this from that stupid Uchiha. He's still too weak to be escaping, though."

"I…he…" Sakura stammered before reaching up to run her hands through her hair as she tried to think. After her talk with Naruto that morning and spending the early morning with Emiko, she had finally crashed in an exhausted sleep. When she had woken up in the late afternoon, she had kept her promise by getting up and coming to the hospital, with the intent of seeing Itachi and talking with Tsunade about what was needed to help Itachi. Now, however….

"I have the medics and a few guards checking the hospital and surrounding blocks," Tsunade told her. "But if he went anywhere…"

The Uchiha Compound, Sakura thought and nodded. He would return to the Uchiha Compound. Return to their house.

"I'll bring him back," she told Tsunade and went to leave, pausing when Tsunade placed her hand gently on her shoulder. Meeting Tsunade's gaze, Sakura could see understanding and relief in the brown eyes watching. Nodding as if confirming something, she stepped back and waved Sakura on.

"It's good to see you back, Sakura," Tsunade told her. "I'll expect your stupid husband back by the morning."

"Thank you, Shishou," Sakura whispered, blinking back tears. No matter how understanding her mother was, it was Tsunade who could best understand what she had gone through with Sasuke and felt with Itachi. Her acceptance was relieving and with renewed determination, Sakura left to find Itachi.

sSs

He could tell almost instantly that the house bore the air of abandonment, despite the fact it had only been two weeks since he has last there. The air was stale, no longer filled with the smells of Sakura's cooking and her preferred incense, and he took note that all of the vases she tended to fill with flowers sat empty as he moved forward into the house.

Mind still fighting the weeks of heavy medication and exhaustion left by the disease, Itachi numbly moved towards the room in the back before pausing in the doorway. Emiko's room was just as silent and he took in the shadows of the room before going to the empty crib. Reaching in, he lifted out the soft pink stuffed animal that had been tucked in the corner, staring at it thought.

"_Itachi." Glancing down as his name was called, Itachi paused to meet Sakura's upturned gaze. Around them, the people of Konoha went about their business on the busy market day and Itachi shifted almost unconsciously to protect Sakura –due any day – from anyone pumping into her. "Do you mind if we go in there?"_

_Following her pointed finger, Itachi found her gesturing at a small shop. Shaking his head, Sakura flashed him a bright smile before they crossed to the shop. Inside, he found out it was a shop that sold nothing but children's clothes and toys. Seemingly familiar with the shop, Sakura browsed through the shop, stopping to look a few items but generally drifting. Surprisingly content to follow her around, Itachi watched as Sakura looked at the small shoes no longer than his thumbs._

"_Are you not going to buy anything?" he finally asked, startling Sakura who seem to have forgotten his presence. He hadn't missed that she had spent more time looking at boys clothing than girls, nor the hidden looks she had sent the bright pink items._

"_Ah, I don't know what to get," Sakura confessed with a small smile as she smoothed a hand over her stomach. Frowning slightly when she turned away and drifted over to the stuffed animals on display, Itachi followed after her._

"_Do you not wish for a girl?" he inquired softly. The topic of the baby's gender was one that had never been brought up before between them, but with their child's arrival so close at hand seemed like an important one. And he couldn't miss the signs that Sakura obviously had feelings about it._

"_Would you mind if it was a girl?" Sakura asked in return, slightly hesitant, while grabbing a stuffed cat animal and playing idly with the ribbon around its neck. Silently thinking, Itachi couldn't help but remember the pictures of a young Sakura he had seen on display at her parent's house. The idea of a small replica of those pictures as their daughter caused a warmth in his chest he wasn't quite expecting._

_Reaching out, Itachi grabbed a soft pink teddy bear before handing it to Sakura. Setting down the cat, Sakura reached out and took the bear before bright green eyes looked up at him warmly._

"_A girl would be nice," Itachi told her, unsure how to convey just how much the thought appealed to him now. He was grateful to the understanding in Sakura's eyes as she watched him before she reached up to press a quick kiss to his lips._

"_We can always have a boy later," he reasoned a few minutes later as they left the shop, the pink bear accompanying them, and Sakura laughed happily next to him._

Now, alone in the dark room, that day seemed like a dream and the warmth of Sakura's laugh faded as he continued to hold the pink bear. That same warmth had been gone since he had woken up in the hospital and Itachi couldn't suppress the shiver that ran through his body at the cold empty house that surrounded him now.

Had he really become so accustomed to having people in his life – first her and now Emiko – that the thought of losing her was almost inconceivable? He knew he could never return to how his life had been before they had become entangled, that of a soulless and emotionless puppet serving his clan and village, not after having been exposed to Sakura's affection and acceptance. In a sudden show of selfishness, he didn't want that taken from him and wouldn't let Sakura just step back and out of his life, as she appeared to be doing.

The emotions his thoughts triggered - anger, fear, and a possessiveness that scared and shocked him – made the room darken before coming into clear relief as his Sharingan was unconsciously activated. Closing his eyes, Itachi struggled to control the wild emotions and chakra as his weakened body struggled to accommodate the powers.

As he stood there, his eyes finally opened when he heard the front door suddenly slam open and crash against the wall. He started at the sound, haven't felt any approaching chakra, and he scowled slightly at the indicator how weak his illness had left him. Cautious of who had tracked him here – one of the hospital workers the Hokage was sure to send after him? – Itachi silently left Emiko's room and was slowly making his way to the front of the house when the person spoke.

"Itachi!" Sakura's voice called out to him and Itachi turned the corner into the front entrance to find Sakura standing in the doorway, panting. Wide eyes stared at him before Sakura collapsed down to her knees, one hand coming up to cover her face.

"Thank the gods," she breathed softly and Itachi caught the sight of tears on her cheeks before her hand brushed it away. "Thank the gods."

Somewhat surprised at her sudden appearance, Itachi was silent until Sakura finally sniffed and wiped her face before moving to stand. Without thinking about it, Itachi stepped over to her and grabbed her hand reaching for the doorframe, pulling her to her feet and to him. Wrapping his arms around her, Itachi felt Sakura stiffen in surprise before her arms came to wrap around him and she relaxed into him with a shaky breath. Feeling her warmth spread and wrap around him, Itachi felt his turbulent emotions start to settle down at having her with him.

For several minutes neither of them moved, seemingly content to just hold each other until Itachi finally spoke.

"Stay."

"I – " Voice catching and hands clenching against his back, Sakura shuddered in his arms before becoming still. "So-sorry, Itachi…I... Don't leave…"

Pulling back, Itachi reached up to tilt her face up until their gazes could meet. Tears trailed down Sakura's cheek and this time he was the one to wipe them away, noting her drawn look and shadows under her eyes. He could see the exhaustion hidden behind the fear in her eyes and he hated that he was the one to put that look back on her face, so similar to the one she wore following Sasuke's death.

"Stay," he repeated softly, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. There was so much more he needed to tell her, but he didn't have the words available to convey his changing and evolving emotions, not yet, so he simply asked her to not leave until the day he could.

"Always," Sakura promised, moving her arms until they wrapped around his neck. Bending down, Itachi captured her lips under his, feeling the last of the tension leave his body as Sakura sighed softly against him.

Pulling back, he drew a startled gasp from Sakura as he picked her up and headed towards their bedroom. Ignoring her protests, Itachi set her down on the bed before going and opening the windows, letting in the moonlight until the room glowed silver. Turning back to the bed, he found Sakura watching him, tears again on her cheeks, and he walked over to wipe them away.

"No more tears," he told her and Sakura nodded before grabbing his hand and pressing a quick kiss to the palm.

"I love you, Itachi," she told him then, speaking softly. Staring at her, mind racing at her words, Itachi was silent as she looked up at him and smiled. "I love you."

"Sakura – "

"It's ok," she told him when he fell silent, pulling him down to her until they laid sprawled on the bed. Raising above him, Sakura bent to press a soft kiss to his lips as Itachi lay still under her. "I know."

Understanding she would be willing to wait until he could tell her, Itachi then spent the rest of the night on showing her his devotion, having always been better with action than words.

sSs

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><p><strong>Ending AN:** I hope this was worth the wait? I'm rather happy to be returning to this story after my short period of hiatus from fan fiction (both reading and writing).

I'm a little worried I made Itachi regress in this chapter, but I think for this set of stories my thought of Itachi is as someone who is unsure of his emotions while at the same time someone who is able to care for someone. I think regardless of the reality (massacre, non-massacre) Itachi has a lot of repressed emotions and is unsure on how to handle them in new situations, such as developing them towards our favorite pinkette. If that makes sense?

Anyways, there's the semi-conclusion of Itachi's illness "arc". It will keep coming up in future stories, but no more depressed Sakura! And I'm surprisingly content with how this chapter came out considering I didn't really have any ideas for it. Still working and playing with ideas for future chapters, though I have something in mind.

Please review!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters.


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